Pacific treefrog - Sierra Club BC
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Pacific treefrog

CAN BE FOUND IN:

Pacific treefrog

Pseudacris regilla

Appearance

Pacific treefrogs are small frogs, usually about 5 centimetres long full-grown. They can be green, bronze, grey, and all colours in between. They always have a black stripe across their eyes and nose. They have a light coloured belly and long webbed toes.

Range & Habitat

Pacific treefrogs are the most common frogs in B.C., Washington and Oregon. They live in many habitats, including woods, meadows and even cities far away from water, but they need ponds and wetlands in which to lay their eggs.

Reciprocal Relationships

Treefrogs are an important secondary consumer in B.C. ecosystems. They eat insects and spiders. Their tadpoles eat mostly tiny plants. They are eaten by bullfrogs, birds, and other mammals. They can live away from water because their skin has a waxy coating that helps keep them moist; sometimes they eat this wax! They have the loudest and longest call of any frog in B.C. Usually, when one male frog starts calling with his balloon-like throat pouch, all the others follow.

You may find a Pacific treefrog in your garden! In fact, these frogs can be found in many urban areas, in wet gardens or plant pots. They breed in early spring and summer, and the tadpoles grow into adult frogs within two months. If they live where it gets cold in the winter or dry in the summer, they crawl into underground burrows. 

Since frogs absorb water through their skin, they are sensitive to human threats such as pesticides, chemicals, and other pollutants. Tsawwassen First Nation is one of many working to steward their lands to protect the Pacific treefrogs. They do this through monitoring frog populations and working to remove the invasive American bullfrog.

Status

COSEWIC: Not at Risk 
CDC: Yellow 

More Information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca.

Photo Credit

Canva

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